Arsenal’s best chance for an away win in a big ‘un – writes @LaboGoon
If we thought last weekend was eventful in English football, midweek said ‘hold my beer’.
It was happy hour at the Emirates (of course), ‘out with the (not so) old in with the new’ for a few managers and for one manager the Premier League title chase came to an abrupt end (don’t laugh) … and here we go again.
Good day one and all.
Of the fixtures to look out for on the football calendar it always includes the North London Derbies; and as we make the short trip to Wembley to face Tottenham Hotspurs, it’s Arsenal who will want to build on the gains of these last two weeks.
Following two league defeats in five days the home side (read: squatters) will be licking their wounds, both mentally and physically. Now there’s a few pundits who will dress this up as “it’s the best thing that could of happened to them”, because, you know, it keeps their egos in check. Well Saint Pochettino, life came at him fast as he was ready to punch somebody’s lights out.
There they were leisurely cruising along to at least a 3rd place finish and boom, they now find themselves looking over their shoulder with Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea closing in, and, should they lose today, the stakes will be raised even further as the battle for top-four will be one of the major talking points in the run-in.
The Gunners go in to this game on the back of three wins on the bounce (all competitions) but here’s the rub … that was at the Emirates where we do well regardless and this season we have not travelled well against top-six opposition (D1, L3).
Hell, who am I kidding, we don’t travel well period.
We won just one of our last seven away league games (D2, L4) so the challenge will now be to see if we can keep our tails up, because with Pochettino having a few concerns there is the hope that we have caught them at the most opportune time.
Now there’s an argument that in derbies, form, or lack thereof, goes out the window and that one Harry Kane usually enjoy this ‘home’ fixture, but one also can’t ignore that he doesn’t seem to have brought his talents back with him from injury.
In no way am I implying this is our match to lose. In most, if not all, big games of this nature the home side usually has the edge though it is hard to ignore Spurs not looking so smooth at present.
Three wins on the bounce is nothing to scoff at, no matter the quality of the opposition, and we’ve done that using some mesmerizing creative passing missing from our game in weeks prior. If Unai Emery wants to maintain that consistency and familiarity with the hopes of a strong end to this campaign, it will be interesting to see if he fields an attacking lineup that includes our two most creative players, Özil and Mkhitaryan.
Both are both in good nick, in a game that could be pivotal to our season.
This is a big ‘un folks and of importance to both teams, so we can expect Arsenal fighting just as hard to get one over their local rivals as Spurs will to get back to winning ways.
COYG
Positively Arsenal 
This is about as big as it gets, at least on the home front; we hate to lose to Team Manchester clubs but losing to, no, I can’t even write it.
Great article and brilliant use of the term ‘mesmerizing’ – a word clearly invented specifically to describe our best player.
Enjoy the game everyone and let’s hope media-darling Harry gets caught out doing whatever foul tricks he tries to get up to today; his antics can not have gone unnoticed by even the blindest of officials. Although you never know.
COYG.
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Hopefully we go in on a lot of confidence, but this is always going to be a difficult game, and will not be helped by their well rewarded but under reported cheating. They know full well how easy it is to get penalties against Arsenal from the PGMOL.
Can see Rambo playing this one.
I hope the Spuds are going to be dispirited and demoralised, sounds like they were poor against Chelsea, but they will still work hard, Poch will have read the riot act, and did I mention their cheating?
Can see this as a scoring draw, they are due one.
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I think if we are to win today we have to approach the game like its a home game, for me under Emery, we approach away games in very much a safety mode, we seen in the home game v spurs, when we went full out attack at them they had no answer, we should be going with the same attitude today.
One big problem we have today is spurs are in a sticky patch, they normally respond, not only in individual game, but in these runs, by being more physical, and today we have Anthony Taylor as ref and he not only normally allows spurs to get away with a lot, he normally allows whoever Arsenal’s opponents are get away with a lot, so combine the two and we will indeed have to use our heads, and very much keep our heads.
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Mesutmerizing – now there’s a word.
It’s a big away game and we don’t do well in these usually but I don’t have in inkling of apprehension. There still is some issues in our play, especially the occasional brain fart at the back but I think we are as prepared as we would’ve liked to be for this one. Our best players no longer find themselves on the fringes and Kosc has brought back some measure of control (I know) at the back and we couldn’t have asked for more.
Spurs will definitely have their doubts.
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Excellent again LG,
Yeah AA is right the most important fixtures at the start of the season are the two against the spuds and we have the chance to do the double over them which even the invinciples didnt manage in that o so wonderful season.
LG is right that home sides have the edge however we seem to pick up lots of draws at their place and remember this is not their place and our record at Wembley is near perfect.
Best case scenario this week would see us one foot into the next round of the europa cup and having beaten two of our closest rivals and set up well for the run in. I’m not going to go into anything else.
All the media shit about good times to play teams is shit really both PL games are against top sides and playing your most hated rivals then going abroad then playing the PL form team is a massive ask but we know we have the players to do it.
Make no mistake we will have to play better than our last three wins and cut out the mistakes but when we are at our free flowing best were irresistable.
Either way beutiful or grind I dont care this week is about results COYG.
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just seen a report that from next season players from a team taking a freekick will not be allowed to stand in the wall, so not only do the offending team get the benefit of stopping the attacking team taking the freekick till they have a defensive wall lined up, they will not have an opponents allowed to stand near it.
Maybe we will finally see some teams come up with inventive ways of using their free players at these free kicks, things like putting players out wide of the wall to be free to cross in the ball, and also being able to go with free men running in on a lofted free kick etc.
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Got a feeling it’ll be a draw as well, Mandy.
I read that Spurs had but one shot on target v Chelsea.
If Ali is out and Kane’s diving boots – sorry – shooting boots have been left in the physio’s office, then I make Son the main danger. Send him to bed early without supper and we’ll have a great chance of a splendid result.
Feeling wrecklessly positive this morning (I blame Labo’s article).
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Jeorge Bird
@jeorgebird
50m50 minutes ago
Arsenal U18 v Norwich: Okonkwo; Daley-Campbell, McGuinness, Clarke, Swanson; M. Smith, Cottrell; Greenwood, John-Jules, Coyle; Balogun.
Subs: T. Smith, Alebiousu, Dennis, Matthews.
Former Arsenal goalkeeper Daniel Barden starts for Norwich.
Arsenal U18s leading 1-0 v Norwich and it’s Balogun, the league’s top scorer, who got the goal. John-Jules with the assist.
Norwich 0 Arsenal 2: Balogun scores again. He now has 15 goals in 13 league games for the U18s this season.
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Thanks to Labo -certainly a big one today, made even bigger by their dip in form and ours getting better. Maybe a trick for us is to remember that Wembley isnt the real Coop and it wont ever be, this is a game being played at a neutral ground.
They will feel that we are the underdog, but judge us at your peril. A win today for us will be one heck of an experience.
COYG! FOYS!
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ozil only a sub today
https://pbs.twimg.com/ad_img/1101807146033913856/l4E1kKkj?format=jpg&name=orig
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Torreira and Aubameyang also subs today
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looks like its a 4-3-3 formation
Leno
Mustafi Sokratis Koscielny Monreal
Guendouzi Xhaka Ramsey
Mkhitaryan Lacazette Iwobi
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COYG
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Jeorge Bird
@jeorgebird
3m3 minutes ago
Arsenal 3 Norwich 0. John-Jules scores a penalty.
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looking at the selection again, it probably is a 4-2-3-1
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Jeorge Bird
@jeorgebird
2m2 minutes ago
Arsenal 4 Norwich 0. Balogun completes his hat-trick. There’s being in good form and then there’s this.
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Jeorge Bird
@jeorgebird
48s48 seconds ago
HT. Arsenal 4 Norwich 0.
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Eds
With options available in what the discredited cunning linguist aka Billy Big Blagger had been describing as a weak squad (not as weak as their opinion of the football!) he has chosen to not repeat the second half line up from the Home leg with Ramsey behind the two strikers, three at the back. Which remains an option if chasing a goal, which is intriguing.
This might be because RWB options are limited as Niles has been out. But my preference would’ve been to play four at the back and try and contest the midfield, which is how the Gunners will start today. So I’m happy!
Happy to see UE bite the bullet with his job on the line in spite of the Raul promoting Sports Communications from the cunning linguists and finally rotate his two best creative players through this season defining mini-fixture crunch. Not the most courageous act we’ll ever see in football eh, but as everyone could see the Arsenal Football fans were happy to once again be watching and applauding their best football player. Even ignoring the best player on the day in order to do hehe!
Rotating Ozil for Iwobi in this fixture is the kind of “change” everyone was hoping for purely as a result of Iwobi’s continuous development and not because of some Narrative leaking out from a shower of performing clowns.
Mustafi at RB given that Tottenham will rotate in Rose for Davies should be fun. Mustafi is less of a gentle tank when compared with Sagna, who was fouled off the ball (no fouls called) by this cheat. Others have the right to live in denial, they are entitled to their beliefs, but it’ll be fascinating for many football fans watching this football match to see how Mustafi reacts to the excessive fouls and any lack of protection from the officials.
COYG
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< this is exactly the kind of fixture where we'll
see if Mustafi can play at RB. Obviously he won't give the same threat as Bellerin in midfield or in the box, but my understanding is that his habit of going to ground with his first touch works at FB but perhaps not at CB…and it's trait that he probably developed when playing as a FB?
It is interesting to see how he gets on. After all the above I hope he doesn't have a stinker (he won't!).
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I revert to my youth back in London on days like this. We must beat the scum…
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Eat that!!!!!
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Jeorge Bird
@jeorgebird
32m32 minutes ago
Arsenal 4 Norwich 1. Norwich get a goal back through an own goal from Harry Clarke.
Arsenal 5 Norwich 1. Coyle scores. Balogun with the assist.
Arsenal 6 Norwich 1. Greenwood scores.
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kane clearly offside and goal ruled out for offside but commentators are whinging it was rightly ruled out, even saying other spurs players were hiding him in his offside position, they don’t even try and hide their bias.
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Top class tekkers from Rambo on the finish. It’s really not hard to understand the grumbles from across goonerdom in recent months (let alone ignore them!) but hopefully these type of selections will continue.
Lacazette’s strength in creating the chance rewarding the gaffer’s choice of option to start the match. Big early chance for him too.
Even when the Gunners are playing well it’s hard to enjoy these games. Because…
Phew. Offside.
COYG.
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that is some high dive by Rose
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do spurs do their training in a swimming pool, the do little else but dive, its disgraceful
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iwobi shot there needed to be a bit further in the corner, loris with a good save
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Leno with a brilliant double save, we are creaking before half time once again, thankfully Leno was up to it
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Leno does a Jim Montgomery. Top saves!!!
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HT: Spurs 0-1 Arsenal
Ramsey with our goal after the rounded the keeper and slotted home.
I can not tell you how we are playing, I’m actually too tense to judge it right, we seem a little too open at the back once more, but fighting to keep our lead, we really need to be calm on one of our break aways and get the all important next goal.
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Both saves from Leno incredible for me.
Helping the Arsenal survive the pre-half time wobble.
Time to breathe.
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Orbinho
@Orbinho
3m3 minutes ago
Spurs didn’t have a shot in the first 30 minutes. They had seven in the 15 minutes before half time though which is when we look most vulnerable usually.
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Jeorge Bird
@jeorgebird
9m9 minutes ago
Arsenal U18s beat Norwich 6-2.
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Torreira on for Guendouzi for second half
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There is Özil, Torrera and Auba to come on as subs in the second half, I’m assuming that’s Emrey’s game plan. Hope we don’t have to make subs from injuries.
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Aaron Ramsey joins club legends Alan Smith & Tony Adams as the third Arsenal player to score a competitive goal against Tottenham at Wembley. [@TomEde1] #afc
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the linesman on the far side hasnt a clue.
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Lacazette misses a great chance after a well worked move and attack from the Arsenal after they’d soaked up some pressure. Good nous in the game so far this half. COYG.
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So far, the only opportunities the scum get are when we foul them….for fucks sake….
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Lacazette misses his second great chance of the game
spurs go close
Aubameyang on for Lacazette
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Lacazette perhaps with niggle?
Aubamayang on after 55 minutes.
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stupid from mkhitaryan and he gets booked for needlessly bringing down kane
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spurs bring on lamela for wanyama
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lamela rightly booked for an awful lung on xhaka
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More then anything today I was looking forward to Lamela up against Mustafi at RB.
Good start there for the Gunner against the sub.
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Yep not hard to understand why Lamela is so unpopular. Having been seen off by Mustafi he hacks at Xhaka and earns a yellow within five minutes.
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its got scrappy and a bit dull in the last ten minutes or so
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Yikes Lamela with a long range shot.
COYG!
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Rose booked for foul on Leno
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we need to get some control of this game, we have got raggy and its letting spurs get the upper hand
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